Regular messaging like Whatsapp has always been facing controversy day in and out. For these reasons, many people have doubted the integrity of the applications regarding data protection and privacy for their users. For these reasons, many have opted for other applications such as Signal, and Telegram, which promise better encryption.
For several years, decentralized messengers have been developed, emphasizing anonymity and the protection of user data while seeking to avoid single points of failure that Instant messaging applications have failed to convince us.
One of the solutions envisaged to increase decentralization is the blockchain, the distributed ledger principle popularized by Bitcoin. Cryptocurrencies are inherently decentralized: transactions are placed in data blocks, validated according to different methods by users participating in the network, and then immutably registered on the blockchain, itself replicated on all nodes of the network. In fact, there are already multiple messengers looking to take advantage of blockchains.
In this article, we have carefully selected the best decentralized messaging applications that should be on your radar as of this article’s writing.
Sylo
Sylo offers the same features like text, audio, and video chat uses end-to-end encryption of the Signal protocol, and includes a proper crypto wallet allowing you to store, send and receive bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies. It is wholly based on a decentralized network and can be fully accessed via Android and iOS.
Status
Status is encrypted messaging but only operates through texts. No video or audio chat here. It still allows you to store tokens issued on the Ethereum blockchain while offering access to decentralized applications (dApps) developed on the identical blockchain. Messaging works according to a peer-to-peer protocol developed in OpenSource and does not require a phone number or email.
Adamant
Adamant has been available as a progressive web app since 2017, and most importantly, its architecture is decentralized, meaning each message is an encrypted blockchain transaction. The application also has a crypto wallet, transferring money to a distant contact much more straightforward. It is available on the Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS
Hyper
Hyper is currently under development but promises to be a messaging application with many features and be peer-to-peer soon. It will be developed on elastOS, a blockchain-based operating system. The users will select the project’s primary lines via a governance token that is backed by a blockchain and allows voting.
Tox
Tox is another essential software that we couldn’t miss. Like others mentioned in this article, it provides a peer-to-peer messaging system using onion routing and distributed ledgers. The whole system is built on sophisticated security techniques, including permanent. However, unlike other messaging systems, tox is a collection of protocols utilized via specialized and independent interfaces built under Open Source.
